Topic: Alternative to Broadband ??

[DJ]

A problem for you all...

Currently my local exchange is at 225 with a trigger level at 400, so broadband ain't coming for a while  

My current connection on a 56k modem is only around 30k (due to a split line - long story!)

The Big Question...

What alternatives do I have to increase my speed on the internet.  I'm not a gamer, but just general surfing / email etc.

Looked at BT Home Highway but seems expensive compared to BB.

I'll prob just wait and see if the exchange gets enabled in the new year, but thought I'd ask anyway.

Any ideas ?

  Cheers

DJ1UK

[Simon]

Can BT get away with that then?  Splitting a line so you only get connected at half speed?   Have you suggested that you'd only like to pay half the bill??   8)

[Corky]

i used to get a constant 33.6k on BTInternet, without a split line...  Makes you think what you are paying for doesn't it!  I don't know of any alternatives, but if you do manage to find one, GO FOR IT Broadband is one of the best you can have, well.. next to a satalite connection ofc.

[Clive]

DACS or line splitting is bad news because it was never designed for internet traffic and you will only get it to work at half speed.  If you asked for a 2nd line and mentioned to them that you intended to use it for an internet connection then they should have warned you that it would be unsuitable.  If they didn't, you have a case against BT for giving you wrong information.  

They probably DAC'd you because there were no spare lines available at your exchange, but most exchanges have been upgraded in the past few years and there may well be one available now.  If that is the case, demand that they change it for a proper 2nd line.

[Tony]

Looked at BT Home Highway but seems expensive compared to BB.


  Cheers

DJ1UK

Well if BB is not obtainable for lets say at least twelve months, it is a pointless exersise comparing it with Home Highway cost wise as it is not an option.

Looking at the costs [well off the top of my head but near enough] a bog standared line rental is ball park £10, so a line for the phone and an extra one  for the internet is another £10 per month = £20, plus £100 to install. Now I think you can get ISDN installed for £150 with £24 a month rental with a couple of quids worth of free calls thrown in.

So rental wise not alot in it, and you get a 64 K line that connections instantly. Plus you have the two analoge lines free, but you can only use any two lines at one time. Ofcourse if you subscribe to a 128K service that will mean you are using both channels so your analoge phones wont make or recieve incoming calls unless you drop a channel.

I have tried 128K but as I dont really use the web for downloading music or films I don't really need it. Ping times are more important to me, and they are slightly faster on a single 64K channel than on two bonded channels. I would not go back to a 56K modem for a gold clock, I now it is a rip off compared to BB, but you can only ever play the hand you have a chance of being dealt unfortunately.

catch

[DJ]

Thanks for all the advice.

My line was has been DAC as they say there are no more lines on the exchange (we've now got two home lines - one business / one personal).

It'll wait and see if the BB registration goes up much in the next month - if not I'll consider HH.

* EDITED * - Just had a look at the BT barometer and its jumped from 225 to 243 over-night! Might be hope yet !

Thanks

DJ1UK1

[Clive]

If that keeps up you should be enabled in less than two weeks!      

[DJ]

Just an update.

I've started a campaign for BB in my area - trigger level now at 285/400 ( )

But - just thought of a problem...

Will I be able to get Broadband with my DAC'd split line

Thanks

DJ1UK

[Simon]

I hope so, DJ - it would be a real bugger after all your hard work if DAC was the turd in the water pipe!   :brick:

I'm sure someone here will know for certain!  

[Clive]

Why is your line DAC'd DJ1UK?  I presume it's because you wanted to use the Internet and receive phone calls at the same time?  With Broadband, you will be able to do just that without your line being DAC'd as the Internet connection runs on the same line.  They will simply convert you back to a standard line.  DAC connections are not really suitable for Internet connections anyway as you are only getting 28K out of a 56K modem which is very painful.  BT should have warned you about that in the first place and if they didn't, I have heard of people taking them to court over it.

[daveeb]

i've a feeling that beetee are only legally obliged to provide a line capable of transmitting voice messages which is around 9-10k i think. having said that if they were aware that you intended to use the line for internet access then its a bit of a poor show on their part. i'd give them some grief and see where you get.

[DJ]

Hi

My line was DAC'd as one line is used for a home personal line, the other a business line.  They couldn' give a new line for business use as there was none spare !

If and when i get BB hopefully as the exchange will be upgraded they will be able to give a seperte line for business, convert the old one back to a standard line and everyones happy!

Heres Hoping!

DJ1UK

PS - Yes 28k is painful!! :'(

[Clive]

I used to have ISDN since that gave me two voice lines on separate numbers.  It also gave me two internet connections at 64K but the downside was that you could only use 2 out of the 4 available lines at any one time.  The alternative would have been a DAC'd line because there were no spare numbers available on my exchange at the time so a 2nd line was out of the question.

Now that I have BB, there are plenty of spare lines and I had a 2nd business line installed.  With a network, it means that I can have 2 telephone lines plus 3 computers accessing the Internet at the same time which effectively gives us 5 lines.

[DJ]

Soooooo Jealous!

Still Waiting for Broadband :brick:

DJ1UK

[Adept]

Soooooo Jealous!

Still Waiting for Broadband :brick:

I can't get BB yet either DJ. So you can imagine how I felt setting it all up for Clive